Do I need a floor waste in bathroom?

[Nibbles55]

I have a 1940s house and am renovating the upstairs bathroom. Apparently the building/plumbing code for NSW specifies that all bathrooms must have a floor waste, and my old bathroom doesn't.

I have spoken to four different builders and am getting different and confusing answers about this. One said "yes" they will have to create a new waste and that involves accessing the bathroom floor from the room underneath by cutting a hole in the ceiling. In which case this may involve digging through a suspended slab or into fibre cement board (possibly asbestos cement). The actual construction of the floor is guesswork till they dig up the floor tiles.

Another said "no", the code only applies to new builds, not to renovations.

The other two thought I could use the existing shower waste as the waste for the whole room, provided I went with a frameless shower screen and had no bar on the floor where the door is to stop water flowing into the shower recess from the rest of the room.

This however means no way to stop water from the shower splashing onto the floor outside the bathroom. I have read a number of forum posts talking about frameless screens leaking this way, even with the metal bar across the threshold. The shower is right next to the door to the bathroom, with a carpeted floor outside, so I would like to keep that area dry.

What I'm hoping someone can advise is whether I DO need to retrofit a floor waste, because the easiest option is to have no new waste, and then I can choose any type of shower screen I like.

Thanks for helping.

 

[Scott No Mates]

Go frameless with a long stainless grated drain across the door though I personally prefer to put the grate against the wall. small square tile sized grates (with the tile insert) are useless.

Have the tiler put adequate fall on the floor towards the grate. A very flat floor will overflow.

A floor waste is generally no longer required if the room can overflow directly to the outside of the building.

 

[wylie]

We got similar differing opinions from different plumbers, tilers and builders. In some places we've renovated and left it "as is" with no grate. Other places we've put in a grate.

Because we were renovating our old bathroom, and we have good access underneath and there was already an overflow there, we kept it, but our floor doesn't slope. The tiler who tiled 14 years ago didn't slope to the overflow and neither did this tiler. It was out choice though.

I like the idea of a grate along the inside of the door, but I disagree that the square tile insert grates are hopeless. We chose this style as our tiler said there are so many problems with the long grates that he strongly advised against this idea. There is no leeway for any error in where it is installed and he said these grates are popular, look trendy, but are a PITA to fit and he has fixed plenty of them that have "failed".

He said he would install one for us, but strongly recommended we stick to the square floor grate, which we did. We did look at installing a long drain in the middle (most are run along one wall and sloped one way towards that wall). Just last week, after about three months of use, the water was not draining. We simply lifted out the tile section and removed the hair blocking it. I'd say the only downside of this tile insert is that you cannot see if there is hair or soap or anything else blocking the drain, the it is pretty obvious once the water sits there whilst you are showering and it is easy to lift it out and clear it.

Perhaps you could ask a tiler if you can use one of these long grates in the middle of the shower cubicle if he can slope the shower to it easily (should be fine).

Our shower also does leak a little under the sliding door, even though there is a half round "speed bump" but I think mostly it is tiny splashes bouncing off the floor and under the door. I put a bath mat right outside to catch any water that might get out.

 

[Nibbles55]

Thanks Scott.

The idea of a linear grate just inside the door was suggested by a shower screen supplier that I contacted, but when I put it to the last builder I spoke to, he had an issue with connecting the outlet for the grate to the existing floor waste. I think it was because of the height of the current waste, and getting the fall of the drain right. I will pursue that though. There is definite reluctance to dig up the floor at all.

I am wondering if the rest of the floor (outside the shower recess) could be raised 10mm so there is a small stepdown into the shower. This could help with keeping water in. The downside would be cutting something off the bottom of the bathroom door, and being careful not to trip going in from the hallway. Is this in any way feasible?

The bathroom unfortunately is set back from the ground floor with a tiled roof below covering the front porch and garage on two sides, so the option of discharging to the outside seems difficult. I guess a length of pipe could be run across the garage ceiling to empty to the side of the building. You'd just hope there wasn't a big overflow of sudsy water onto the ground. My neighbours would have the Council round in a flash....

 

[wylie]

We looked at raising the level of our floor (or lowering what was originally there) and having a slightly dropped shower cubicle. I cannot recall why but our tiler wasn't keen on this idea. He was happy to do it if we wanted him to, but it wasn't his choice of the best way to do it.

We have a step up into our bathroom of maybe two inches. We've never had anybody trip into the room, and we certainly don't. I think most people who live in or are used to visiting older houses understand and are used to not having a completely flat floor like in newer houses.

 

[Nibbles55]

Hi Wylie, our posts overlapped.

One of my concerns about the grate directly inside the door is related to the possibility of blockage because I have two teenage daughters with very long hair who are forever in the shower and are unlikely to even notice if there was an overflowing problem. They both shed hair in large quantities which does end up blocking the drain from time to time. I can just imagine the potential for puddles. I would be more comfortable with the grate against the wall and a definite fall away from the door. I suppose the speed bump (good description!) could be fitted later if splashing was a problem.

Ultimately, I wonder how this floor waste issue can be enforced since I do not require approval to renovate a bathroom. I was told NSW is the only state in Australia requiring floor wastes, just can't find any information on whether this only applies to new buildings.

 

[Nibbles55]

For the benefit of anyone who may have the same issues, I have found out the following:

Fair Trading is now responsible for bathroom inspections, when they are required. They are not required for bathroom renovations where none of the fixtures are moved.

This may explain why most of the builders who I have spoken to want to retain the existing floor waste, rather than relocate it. I guess I will now opt for the frameless shower screen with a good fall back to the waste, and retrofit the speed bump if the leakage under the door is unmanageable. Probably will keep a big sponge handy just in case.

 

[wylie]

I don't think you would retrofit the "speed bump". It just was installed when the screen was installed. I wouldn't like to not have it there.

 

[Nibbles55]

Thanks Wylie. I have been following your bathroom renovation with great interest and love the finished result - good inspiration for me when I feel like it's all too hard.

 

[wylie]

Thank you so much. We are enjoying using it .